Zion and the fading hope
by tiggerthehobbit
Summary: Matrix charecters and some i made myself.Set in Zion telling the story of becoming of age,in the harsh war of humans vs. machine. Rayana has dreams made true and has a few shattered on the way.What part does she play with Neo and the future?


Perception. Yes perception, what we perceive to be real. Rayana looked down at the words written on the piece of paper. She slowly made the choice to crumple the white sheet and start again. A decision she later regretted, as paper was very short, and a rare human resource. She'd turned 18 the day before; it wasn't a big deal. In fact its true meaning was that she'd spent another year in hell. Her friends had held a small gathering for her, but her mood wasn't in need of a party. She smiled falsely and ate the 'tasty wheat' given to her. But her mind had wandered elsewhere: The last glimmer of hope for Zion was repeated like a broken record. The rumor had slowly started spreading. Some were believers, others laughed at the thought and the rest were ignorant to the real nature of meaning.  
  
  
  
Neo paced the floor of the ship. The tension had been rising for a number of days now. Zion was close. All the hopes of the last human city were interacted upon the shoulders of 'the one'. Trinity approached Neo cautiously. They're fight the evening before had left them both feeling bitter and feelings had been severed. Neo looked up slowly but hastily looked away as their eyes met.  
  
"Neo, Look at me," Trinity spoke softly. "This has gone on to long, I'm sorry for what I've said," as she spoke she gently moved her hand towards his. He moved it away and looked at her frostily.  
  
"Fine, be like that. I've tried, the next move is yours," she said fighting back the tears. She walked away briskly. Neo threw his fist at the closest wall. The brief pain satisfied his remorseful anger.  
  
"Rayana, how can you believe 'the one' is real? We all know what a liar Frostbite is," Reagal exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, but Reagal, what if? What is he's real and what the prophecy says is true?" questioned Ray.  
  
"Its big what if," Bernieze added in.  
  
"I agree" sighed Troyella. She didn't really agree. In fact she has no idea what the topic of conversation was. This wasn't unusual. The 4 girls regularly debated over the prophecy of 'the one'. Rayana believed 100% that is was the truth. Bernieze was adamant that Ray was a daydreamer and believed in fate too much; therefore she would disagree. Troy wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box and 99.9% of the time lived in her own world. Her opinion on the topic of debate would rely on the answer of Bernieze. At which she would reply with the feeble sentence 'I agree'. Reagal liked to believe she was the wisest of the group, after all her age was at least 2 years more advanced than Rays. The debates usually ended with Rayana wishing she hadn't opened her mouth, and Reagal storming off to tell Frostbite how impressionable Ray's mind was. Today was no different.  
  
"Rayana! Why wont you ever listen to what other people have to say? You and Frostbite only believe your own rubbish" Reagal shouted  
  
"Reagal, just because you're older than me, it doesn't make you better. I know you like to think it does!" Rayana shouted back.  
  
"I've had enough of this!" Reagal shouted storming off in a rage.  
  
Rayana turned her back on the other girls who sat in silence. Rayana kicked her foot angrily at the ground.  
  
"Anyone want to hear my latest poem?" questioned Troy generally oblivious to the severity of the argument.  
  
"Urgh..Actually there was something I needed to do," Bernieze lied. She got you her feet dusting off her trousers.  
  
"Later Ray," she said distantly. Rayana frowned. Troy slowly scampered after Bernieze, leaving Ra in the pleasant silence once again. Ray flopped to the floor.  
  
"Neo, Trinity were close" Morpheus bellowed.  
  
"How close?" They both said. They looked at each other and frowned.  
  
"Enough! Save your lovers tiff for when we reach Zion," Morpheus said sternly.  
  
"Gate 10,this is the Nebachanezza we would like access to Zion please," Link said.  
  
"Nebachanezza, this is Zion control. Continue at current velocity," the voice replied.  
  
"Thank you," Link said smiling.  
  
"Welcome home,"  
  
The ship slowly drifted into the gate; into Zion; the last remaining human city. Link docked the ship. Each of them took their belongings and silently embraced the Zion docking bay.  
  
Rayana often walked to the docking bay. She wasn't permitted to walk there, but it fascinated her. She noticed a ship that looked un-familiar to her. Her eyes then fixed on the crew. One member in particular. His presence was un-nerving yet like no other. The figures came straight towards her. A few seconds later the woman walked straight into her, the force sent Ray crashing to the floor. She let out a small groan. She then felt a firm grip on her shoulder pulling her to her feet with ease. Her eyes then met with the man. Rayana looked away slightly blushing.  
  
"Im sorry," Trinity grumbled and carried on walking after Link and Morpheus.  
  
"Are you ok? Im sorry about her. She's not normally that rude," Neo, said his eyes moved to the fading shape of Trinity. He suddenly forgot the argument and wanted to rush over to her. His mind then snapped back to the girl.  
  
"Ermmm...yes," she said slowly dusting herself off. Being polite Neo put his hand out.  
  
"I'm Neo,"  
  
"Rayana," she said shaking his hand.  
  
"Nice name," he said slowly noticing how pretty this girl was.  
  
"Thanks," she replied pausing for a moment." I don't want to be rude, but there's summit about you I can't place," she said blushing slightly again.  
  
"Well apparently, I'm 'the one'" he said slightly laughing.  
  
She smiled "Oh well erm..." she was struggling for words. She was talking to 'the one', the completion of the prophecy.  
  
"Well I better get going. Are you sure you're ok?" he asked with a tone of concern in his voice.  
  
"Uh.... yeah. I'll be fine," she nodded and smiled. She looked at him and couldn't help blushing again. Neo patted Ray on the shoulder. His eyes then fixed on hers. He couldn't help thinking there was something special about this girl. He could sense it. He realized his eyes were fixed on the girl and he suddenly looked away. Without thinking he asked "Can I walk you to your home?"  
  
Rayana nodded, she was slightly confused. She begun to walk silently.  
  
"How did you know?" Neo asked her suddenly.  
  
"There's just something different about you," she replied.  
  
"That's a special gift you have then Rayana," he said smiling. This girl intrigued him. She knew he was 'the one' without him saying so. He wanted to spend a life time talking to her.  
  
"Please, call me Ray," she said. She came to a holt by a door similar to 1000's of others in Zion. "Well, this is where I live. Thank you for walking me home. You saved me a lot of trouble in the docking bay,"  
  
"Your not part of a crew?" he asked.  
  
"I'm just old enough, but I haven't made any decisions yet," she sighed. Neo slowly realized how young this was. 18, he thought. She has such a sense of maturity he hadn't really noticed. He smiled at her.  
  
"Well, I'll be off then. Maybe we shall meet again or perhaps we shall not," he said.  
  
"Thank you again," Rayana replied. She couldn't stop staring at him. She felt like she'd known him forever. Why was neither of them moving? It felt like the seconds were hours. She kept thinking to herself that she must turn around and go in the door, but something held her back. Trinity's actions quickly emerged them both from a dream like state.  
  
"Someone said I might find you here," she said smiling. She wanted to make up.  
  
"I'm sorry about before, I was just grouchy I didn't mean to knock you over," putting her hand out to Ray.  
  
Neo looked at Trinity, he felt his heart flutter. He then looked at Ray shaking her hand.  
  
"It's ok," Ray replied. She looked at Neo whose eyes seemed to be transfixed on Trinity. She felt a sharp pang of jealousy through her body and suddenly turned to open her door. "Goodbye. Neo, Trinity." she walked into her home quickly and shut the door. Neo looked at the closed door.  
  
"Time to talk?" she asked softly.  
  
"Yes its time," as he said this all the feelings towards Trinity returned and he wanted to hold her in his arms forever. Ray slumped herself down against the back of the closed door. What had just happened? 


End file.
